This invention relates to a showerhead adaptor means for releasably holding a hand-held showerhead so that the showerhead may be manually manipulated if desired, the showerhead may be used in a fixed position if desired and in such position stored when not in use.
Shower stalls or compartments are frequently made of ceramic tile, metal tile, and often of integral molded plastic shower walls and shower pans. A water outlet pipe protrudes through the shower wall at a selected height from five to six feet, and projects outwardly and downwardly to provide a free externally threaded outlet end to which is usually mounted a showerhead. Such fixed showerheads were provided with universal mountings to direct the stream of water at limited angles from the free end of the outlet pipe.
Since a fixed showerhead has limited adaptability as to the direction of the shower spray, it has been found desirable to attach a showerhead to an elongated handle and connect the end of the handle through a flexible tube of selected length to the water outlet pipe by a suitable coupling. The shower spray of such an elongated showerhead handle may be readily manually directed against the body at different heights and in virtually any selected direction. Since the showerhead is at the end of a handle connected to a flexible tube, various prior proposed devices have been used to store the showerhead when not in use and in some instances temporarily fix the location of the showerhead to direct the shower spray in a desired fixed direction.
One of such prior proposed constructions have included the provision of a vertically extending bar secured to the shower wall in spaced relation thereto and with a device for holding the handle of the showerhead in selected position along the bar. The disadvantages of such a mounting means for a hand-held showerhead are that the mounting of the bar on the sidewall of the shower requires piercing the shower wall with bar securing means In tile walls, care must be used in making a hole to prevent cracking adjacent tiles, and a suitably sized escutcheon plate must be used. In plastic walls, a problem exists in providing a suitably sealed and strong mounting for the bar.
In another prior proposed mounting for a hand-held showerhead, the end of the water pipe is provided with a universal coupling member providing a connection to one end of the flexible tube and also providing a part cylindrical socket for holding the handle of the hand-held showerhead. Such handles are often oval in cross-section and the receiving socket on the universal mounting comprises a longitudinal slot adapted to receive the handle, which is then secured in the slot by slightly turning the handle about its axis. When such a prior construction is used as a fixed showerhead, the adjustment of the direction of the shower stream is relatively limited.